Craig-Hallum analyst Eric Stine noted reports that EPA Commissioner Scott Pruitt has sent a letter to seven senators expressing his support for the Renewable Fuel Standard, which he sees supporting his belief that regulatory concerns are overblown. The analyst added that this news w removes a "sizable uncertainty for the industry" and an overhang for Pacific Ethanol (PEIX) and Green Plains (GPRE).

11/03/17

PIPR

11/03/17UPGRADETarget $25PIPROverweight

Green Plains upgraded to Overweight from Neutral at Piper Jaffray

Piper Jaffray analyst Brett Wong upgraded Green Plains to Overweight and raised his price target for the shares to $25 from $19. The market is undervaluing the company's "less volatile" non-ethanol assets, Wong tells investors in a research note. Further, he expects ethanol fundamentals will be positive next year. He believes the risk/reward profile is skewed to the positive with limited downside from here.

11/06/17

BMOC

11/06/17NO CHANGETarget $25BMOCOutperform

Green Plains price target lowered to $25 from $30 at BMO Capital

BMO Capital analyst Kenneth Zaslow lowered his price target on Green Plains to $25 following Q3 EPS miss. Zaslow says the results reflected underperformance in Ethanol and Agribusiness, as ethanol crush margins fell and the company's utilization declined to 84% from 93%. The analyst maintains his Outperform rating, anticipating ethanol margin outlook to improve in the medium term given the convergence of ethanol capacity and strong export demand thanks to new and existing formal mandates by more than 30 countries.

AT&T Mobility has reached a tentative agreement with the Communications Workers of America in Mobility Orange contract negotiations. The four-year agreement, which will be submitted to the union's membership for a ratification vote in coming days, covers about 20,000 employees in 36 states and the District of Columbia - AT&T's Mobility Orange unit, which encompasses CWA Districts 1, 2-13, 4, 7 and 9.

Pfizer announced that the United States FDA has approved IXIFI, a chimeric human-murine monoclonal antibody against tumor necrosis factor, as a biosimilar to Remicade for all eligible indications of the reference product. The FDA has approved IXIFI as a treatment for patients with rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, pediatric Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, and plaque psoriasis.

Western Alliance Bancorporation announced that during the first quarter of 2018 Robert Sarver will transition from Chairman and CEO to Executive Chairman. In conjunction with Sarver's change in role, Ken Vecchione will be promoted to Chief Executive Officer, Dale Gibbons to Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer, and James Haught to President and Chief Operating Officer, all effective April 1, 2018.

Aqua America announced that President and CEO Christopher H. Franklin has been elected chairman of the board, effective Jan. 1, 2018. Franklin became CEO in July 2015 and has served on the board of directors since October 2015. He succeeds Nicholas DeBenedictis, former CEO, who will continue to serve on the board as chairman emeritus.